Training Minds Camp at Point Loma University

August 12, 2013

The Training Minds Camp in beautiful Point Loma Nazarene University was a huge success. Nearly 100 students gathered for speech and debate competition, and keynote speaker Michael Hyatt drew in another 200. Students came from all over the country: California, Wisconsin, Arizona, Oklahoma,Texas, Ohio, Colorado, Nevada, South Dakota, Missouri and New Jersey. These students are ready to light up competition!

This Training Minds Camp helped me understand how to debate even better, and how to think outside of the box. Go. To. This. Camp!

Miliano Mikol, Texas

My first year of competition was anything but easy. I never broke in debate once and spent many tournaments watching my friends happily run off to go to their outrounds, while I stayed behind in tears. After several of these very painful tournaments, I seriously believed that I didn’t have what it took to be successful. It was such a difficult experience that I even considered giving up. Training Minds was the best $600 I ever spent. Between the Extemp track taught by a two-time National Champion and an LD track filled with some of the most brilliant coaches I have ever met, this program is worth all the time, effort and money it takes to get yourself here. Sure, you may have to travel huge distances, the days are very long and your schedule will be so tight you barely have enough time to eat or sleep, but the training you receive will pay for itself. Thanks to Training Minds, I finally believe in myself and I can’t wait to see how far I can go—be it to outrounds, Regionals or all the way to the National Championship. Thank you, Training Minds…you’ve changed my life.

Elisa Ron, Texas

Training Minds was DEFINITELY worth it! I can’t wait for next years camp!

Megan Wattenhofer, South Dakota

Whether you are a novice or advance, with or without a clue, this camp will help you find all of the essentials you will need for each resolution and each question you are asked, this camp totally changed my way of speaking and debating.

Spenser Sneddon, California

I had expected the camp to be pretty good, but it was much better than I expected. At the end of the first day, a friend of mine said, “Well, I know what to bring tomorrow.” My immediate response was, “Paper?” I ended up with 29 pages of notes in small writing with no doodles. Even if I were a doodler, I wouldn’t have had the time. I was gaining new information faster than ever before. The tracks I were in were interesting, fun, and helpful. The teachers were ready and willing to answer questions, and the environment was great for learning. Flowing a debate round used to be so hard for me, but after attending this camp, it all clicked. Details of Interps that have been missed in previous years were brought to light, and I’m sure that my speeches, my year, and my life will be greatly improved because of this camp.

Jared Curry, California

Training Minds Camp EXCEEDED our expectations. Coaches were focused, motivated to teach, very knowledgeable, experienced men and women after God’s own heart. Chris went above and beyond to offer not only top notch coaching, a keynote speaker with a hilarious opener (Micah’s Interp), but three intimate parent group gatherings — one with Michael Hyatt, one with Skip Rutledge and one with Chris and Wendy. I loved that no time was wasted. My only regret is that we hadn’t sent our student sooner.

Leinani Mikol, Texas

I went into camp knowing nothing of any of the speech events. After taking the apologetics track I feel excited and ready to study, explain, and defend my faith in an interactive and intellectual way.

Matthew Paulsen, Arizona

The Point Loma Training Minds Camp was an amazing adventure for me. I actually enjoyed sitting in the lectures! I tried to soak in all the recommendations and teaching from the expert coaches. Isaiah McPeak, Travis Herche, and Brooke Wade were among the wonderful group of helpful, clear, intelligent coaches. Their instruction and encouragement boosted my confidence; I went from being nervous to being excited to compete and practice what I learned. Also, the students who attended camp were a great bunch. I now have several sweet friends from all over the country. Thank you, Training Minds, for creating a complete speech and debate camp experience.

Lucie Gillette, Texas

This summer I stood resolved that I would become a more proficient debater and speaker. Observation 1: Inherency Minimal enthusiasm to research and write speeches. Observation 2: The Plan Attend a Training Minds Camp Observation 3: Advantages Being surrounded by spirited speakers and coaches, I was quickly infected with the enthusiasm and drive to begin research and writing now, and polish my words and work all year. Thanks to the guidance of the coaches, I’ve been able to analyze and identify the issues in my speaking and debating ranging from major issues to minor tweaks.

Sophie Jaro, California/Minnesota

When I first heard about this year’s new debate resolution, I was worried about my limited knowledge in that area. Attending Training Minds Camp, however, allowed me not only to grasp the subject but to generate more ideas for the coming year! The speech track was a wonderful asset as well—it took me from knowing nothing to being completely informed and confident about every aspect. Thank you so much Training Minds. I definitely hope to attend your camps again!

Taryn Murphy, California

My daughter was involved in forensics her last two years of high school. She made it to semi-finals at NITOC both years without going to camp. I have often wondered how much more she would have accomplished if 1) she had been involved with speech & debate sooner, and 2) she would have participated in a Training Minds camp. Fortunately, we started her brother sooner with camp this summer! I now know why this camp is valuable for anyone interested and involved in forensics. We enjoyed the experience and look forward to his future years with speech & debate in high school. My son’s response to the camp: “It was AWESOME!”

Ricky Feria, California

I had a blast at the Training Minds Camp. It was fun, exciting, engaging, and well-organized. Great Job!

Josh Oetter, Arizona

This was a wonderful camp and one I would definitely beg my parents to let me return. I learned so much that week and I can’t wait for my competitive season to start. I would definitely recommend this camp to all my friends, although, sadly, most would not come. This camp was a wonderful idea. My hopes and prayers for Training Minds goes with you.

Lucas Settergren, California

This was my first time at camp…….and I had no idea what to expect. But as soon as I set foot in camp, I fell in love with everything!!! The staff and coaches challenged everything I knew and encouraged me to look beyond or think outside the box this world has created. All had sharpened my abilities to defend, communicate, and search for the truth. Everyone attening was willing to participate, encourage, and be there for you!! Training Minds Camp was one of the best Christian environments that I have ever seen in my life 🙂 It left me with an overflowin heart, knowledge in my head, and a strong desire to come back next year!!!!! Thank you everyone for making this camp happen!!

Evelyn Moskalets, California

I loved Training Minds Camp, it was exorbitantly beneficial to my speech and debate “career.” It is rare you will be able to find such great teachers and loads of information. I feel more prepared in all my categories then before I went. Thank You All.

Kai McAlister, California

The coaches covered everything, going step by step through the process of speech writing and case building. They saw even the smallest part of a speech as its own category and would explain the importance of such small things as value links. I had been throughly confused on how to write a case before camp. At camp they showed us how and I realized that what I had been missing was the value links. They are such a small part that they had just been taught as part of the value. At camp the coaches taught them as their own peice of the puzzle. I was then able to write a case that made sense and was logically connected.

Sarah Fallon, Missouri

There’s nothing like this intensive week-long immersive camp to get speakers and debaters up to speed on the new year!

Reuben Settergren, Calfornia

Coach Vance was fantastic. I loved how he encouraged the students to research and find their case based on the evidence rather than picking a topic and then finding research to support it… So critical…Also learned so much about evidence and finding problems with it. I know Max Lucado is called America’s Pastor, so I would like to nominate Luis Garcia as Stoa’s pastor. I love his passion for handling the VERY WORD OF GOD!

Sharon Browatzke, California

Great Friends, Awesome campus, Amazing Coaches with successful back stories who really know there stuff!! Learning so much and having so much fun debating, learning, hanging with friends and preparing for the speech and debate year approaching.

Tabitha Jeub, Colorado

Before coming to camp, I knew little about debate processes and felt completely unprepared for my upcoming novice year of Team Policy debating. But, after just one week of Training Minds camp, I feel adequately equipped to compete and succeed in the upcoming year. I know the road ahead will be challenging and the competition will be tough, but thanks to my Training Minds camp experience my engine is revved and I am ready to go.

Nathanael King, California

Fantastic experience. Apologetics was not just about being successful in competition, but also about being successful in spreading the Gospel in real life. Team policy gave excellent resources that apply to this current resolution and was an excellent resource for general logical analysis. Glad I went!

Christopher Enloe, California

Training Minds Camp was extremely intensive, and packed with new opportunities to learn. I loved being able to eat, sleep, and breathe debate! It was a great way to thoroughly immerse myself in the activity, and I feel like I emerged a better speaker and debater.

Eli McFarlane, Texas

Training Minds debate camp did three things for me. First, the coaches taught me so much about debate and the topic. Second, before camp I didn’t like debate, but after camp, debate was pretty much all I could think about. Third, the coaches always brought it back to God, reminding us to keep our hearts in the right place. If there was one more thing I could say about camp it would be that the coaches at camp were amazing and that I strongly recommend this camp to anyone and everyone.

Tiffany Dunia, California

I thought the Point Loma Training Minds Camp was a terrific experience, and was impressed with the caliber and dedication of all attending, including campers, coaches, administrators and parent/coaches. I look forward to hearing many reports of success throughout the year and can’t wait until next year’s event.

Skip Rutledge, California

Training Minds Camp gave me a new method of thinking for debate. I have been to other debate camps, but I never improved my debate skills very much. This camp, gave me something new. I was able to successfully utilize the skills that I had been learning over the years, because of what I was taught at Training Minds Camp. I was taught new ideas and strengthened my previous skills. In the practice rounds, I could start hearing and seeing the difference in myself. The judges would commented my ability to debate. It was at then, that I knew this debate season will be very different from all of my other years of debate.

Kirsten Dunia, California

Training Minds has revolutionized not only my speech writing but everything else I write! I have never competed in any speech events, and have only debated for one year. Thus, before camp I was considering, maybe, just one platform speech. Now, thanks to the Training Minds camp, I’m ready to compete as an iron-man this year – two or three platforms, one interpretation, impromptu, apologetics and Lincoln Douglas debate. … As this is my senior year of high school, and thus my final year with NCFCA, I am thankful to Training Minds for helping me maximize my final year. Thank you, Training Minds!